Showing posts with label charity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label charity. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Goodbye Nellie
I will be very saddened to lose the elephants from Norwich but very pleased they have raised so much for charity and brightened so many lives. Love them or hate them, the elephants got everyone talking in the City. We did the trail but didn't find them all and still at the end of August we were spotting new ones; including in places outside of the City Center. However I am pleased that some of the elephants have been bought by City firms and people who are going to keep them on display in Norwich. It was a fantastic event so thank you to everyone involved!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Frank Field: Right theory, Wrong practice
Labour MP Frank Field has had to put up with a lot over the years - not least being ousted from Blair's first government for being too radical and since then being treated by his own side as if he's about to defect to the Conservatives.
Well, today Frank launched rather interested reform plans that would charge people who earn over £150,000 a year an extra 10% tax which could be offset totally through donations to charity. You can read the BBC report here.
I am a great believer in charity; that some things are beyond the state and that people working together can do wonderful things for society. Much lamented US President Herbet Hoover once remarked that a single dollar given by free will was worth ten dollars given by the government. I happen to agree, and I think thats one of the aspects that makes me a Conservative. The act of giving is as much an important act as the amount itself.
So, anything which encourages greater giving has to be good - especially as this type of giving normally goes to projects ignored by the government. However, to force rich people at a financial version of gunpoint to give to charity rather defeats the point. I'm sure that, if introduced, this would net the government no money at all - most rich people would still rather give to a favourite charity than this unpopular goverment.
Frank Field is spot on in asking how we get more people, particularly the rich, to give to charity - but this plan is not the answer.
Well, today Frank launched rather interested reform plans that would charge people who earn over £150,000 a year an extra 10% tax which could be offset totally through donations to charity. You can read the BBC report here.
I am a great believer in charity; that some things are beyond the state and that people working together can do wonderful things for society. Much lamented US President Herbet Hoover once remarked that a single dollar given by free will was worth ten dollars given by the government. I happen to agree, and I think thats one of the aspects that makes me a Conservative. The act of giving is as much an important act as the amount itself.
So, anything which encourages greater giving has to be good - especially as this type of giving normally goes to projects ignored by the government. However, to force rich people at a financial version of gunpoint to give to charity rather defeats the point. I'm sure that, if introduced, this would net the government no money at all - most rich people would still rather give to a favourite charity than this unpopular goverment.
Frank Field is spot on in asking how we get more people, particularly the rich, to give to charity - but this plan is not the answer.
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